This is a recent photograph of 1910 Avenue N in Galveston, Texas. According to the realtors, the building was built in 1886. Which is just about the time the Gruetzmacher family lived there, so I suspect they were the original builder/owners. The family lived there during the 1900 Storm, when Papa Gruetzmacher drilled holes into the floor to allow water to rise into the house rather than the water raising the house off its foundations. The high water essentially 'anchored' the house in place, while so many of their neighbors houses were swept away by the flood tide.
The house, which is currently a multi-apartment house, was listed for sale this summer for over $165,000. The listing says the house is 4,915-square feet. A 1-bedroom, 1-bath, 700-square foot downstairs apartment, with window air, is currently available for $400.00 a month. Fresh paint and quiet neighbors!
Pretty cool, Greg. Awful big house, huh?
ReplyDeleteAwfully big house, indeed! IF the family were in fact the original owners/tenants of the house in 1886, the household at that time-period included the two parents, six chil'len, and Paul's mother Matilda. Augusta's mother Augusta may also have been alive then (I haven't tracked her death date), and as she was living with Paul and Augusta in 1880, so she would most likely be a part of the 1886 family-group. Plus, Paul and Augusta had another kid on the way, with Paul Jr. coming along in June of 1887.
ReplyDeleteAll in all, there was a need for a big house. There were 4 more kids later-on, for a total of 11.